One of the things I love about writing this blog is thinking up different things to eat all of the time which allows me to be creative. At lot of the things you can make take a long time and a lot of effort but sometimes I just do not have the time or the inclination to cook all afternoon. This leads me to look for things that are tasty and quick and this is definitely one of those.
I am a big fan of couscous but when I cam across this giant whole wheat couscous when I was in my local health food shop I decided to give it a go. I can definitely recommend it, the texture is totally different to ordinary couscous and is great for this type of dish and very filling too. The bonus to using couscous is it is so easy to cook and you only really need to think about the things you are putting with it.
I have loaded this dish with veggies in different colours to get a good mix of vitamins and all those different flavours just make it so yummy. I try and use the veggies that are in season, mostly, which is why this contains leeks and purple sprouting broccoli which are so good at the moment. It really does make a difference to the flavour!
Serves 2
Prep Time: 20 mins, Cook Time: 20 mins, Total Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
100g Giant Wholemeal Couscous
100g Red Pepper, sliced
100g Leek, sliced
100g Courgette, sliced
100g Purple Spouting Broccoli, broken into small florets
100g Field Mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbs Olive Oil (medium or mild)
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1 tsp Dried Oregano
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs Tamari
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
125ml Vegetable Stock
Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Heat 1 tbs of the olive oil in a pan and add the Couscous and cook for 2 minutes. Add 200ml of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 6-8 minutes or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave covered until you are ready to use it.
2. While the Couscous is cooking heat the remaining 1 tbs of oil in a non-stick pan and then add the leek, dried herbs and the garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic smells cooked.
3. Add the pepper, courgette, leeks and broccoli to the pan with the stock, balsamic vinegar, and Tamari. Cover and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked but still have some bite.
4. Stir in the couscous and warm through.
Notes
I have just selected some of my favourite veggies for this recipe but replace them with your favourite just make sure there is a good amount of them to ensure this is a filling dish.
